British Special Forces Ordered Into Syria?

29.02.2012

The website, www.people.co.uk, today reported that teams of British Special Forces have been ordered into Syria to protect British officials and journalists. The move comes amid continuing violence in parts of Syria. In the past week, several journalists have been killed or injured during fighting between government forces and rebels. The People website claims that up to 5 UKSF squads will be sent into the country, including to the British embassy in Damascus to protect staff there.

It has long been rumoured that British special forces have been actively supporting the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the rebel faction aligned against the Assad regime. Such support was said to include training and the supply of arms. Some reports even claimed that British and Qatari were operating inside Syria. Earlier this month, the British Embassy in Moscow issued a denial to Russian journalists, saying, “These reports are untrue. There are absolutely no British troops on Syrian territory at the moment.”